Rugby Lessons

What is Rugby?

Rugby is a team sport that originated in England in the early 19th century. It’s a dynamic game that combines strength, strategy, and speed. The objective is simple: carry or kick the ball over the end line to score points.

The Basics: Understanding the Game

• Teams: Rugby is played between two teams, each consisting of 15 players (in Rugby Union) 
• The Field: Known as a pitch, it’s a grassy area 100 meters long and 70 meters wide, with H-shaped goalposts at each end.
• The Ball: Oval-shaped and made of leather or synthetic material.
• Duration: A standard match lasts 80 minutes, divided into two 40-minute halves. *MLR has two 1-minute water breaks*

Scoring in Rugby

• Try (5 points): Awarded when a player places the ball down in the opponent’s in-goal area.
• Conversion (2 points): After scoring a try, the team gets a chance to kick the ball between the goalposts.
• Penalty Kick (3 points): Awarded for certain infringements. The team can opt to kick the ball between the goalposts.
• Drop Goal (3 points): A goal scored by dropping and then kicking the ball on the half-volley.

Key Rules and Regulations

• Forward Pass: Players can’t pass the ball forward to a teammate. All passes must be lateral or backward.
• Tackle: Players can halt the ball-carrier by tackling. Once tackled, the player must release the ball.
• Ruck: After a tackle, players from both teams can compete for the ball by driving over it.
• Maul: When the ball-carrier is held but not brought to the ground, a maul is formed.
• Scrum: A set-piece formation where eight players from each team bind together and push against each other to compete for the ball.
• Lineout: When the ball goes out of play, it’s thrown back in and players jump to catch it.

Playing Positions

Forwards (1-8): The powerhouses – responsible for scrums, lineouts, and close-quarter play.

• Props (1,3)
• Hooker (2)
• Locks (4,5)
• Flankers (6,7)
• Number Eight (8)

Backs (9-15): Faster and more agile, they execute strategic plays and score tries.

• Scrum-half (9)
• Fly-half (10)
• Centers (12,13)
• Wings (11,14)
• Full-back (15)